Chlenias Guenée, 1857

Young, Catherine J., 2006, Descriptions of the eggs of some southern Australian Geometridae (Lepidoptera), Zootaxa 1287, pp. 1-294 : 1-294

Chlenias Guenée (Figs 144–175)

This moderately large genus contains a group of fourteen similar, polyphagous species and is widespread from Queensland to southern Australia. Five species are described here. As the identities of auctaria, banksiaria and zonaea are uncertain due to similarities in superficial appearance and genitalia their taxonomy is denoted accordingly. Chlenias eggs are usually narrow, elongated and sub­ellipsoid to sub­cuboidal in seminigra . The egg is inconspicously marked all over by hexagonal cells with flat to concave floors and generally narrow walls. The slightly elevated aeropyles with generally moderately large openings are usually only present in a band around the micropylar area. In ‘ banksiaria ’ and seminigra the cells around the micropylar area are defined by multiple, irregularly shaped aeropyles arranged along the sides of the cells (e.g. Fig. 156); a feature also seen in the archiearine Acalyphes sp. (see above for discussion), the nacophorine Smyriodes aplectaria (see below) and the Australian boarmiines described below, Gastrinodes sp. and Scioglyptis sp. 1 . The distinctive chorion is granular or blistered in all species examined. Chlenias eggs are very similar overall to those of Smyriodes Guenée and Ciampa Walker (see below).